Half to thomas r



(No Model.)

w. H. ROBINSON.

CLAMP.

No. 471,436. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.-

A TTQRNEYS Unirrn rarns TVALTER HEWITT ROBINSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THOMAS R. O. TAYLOR, OF SAME PLACE.

CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,436, dated March22, 1892.

Application filed November 24, 1891. Serial No. 413,006. (No model.) 7

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER HEWITT ROB- INSON, of St. Paul, in the countyof Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and ImprovedClamp, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved clamp,which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in op- 10eration, and more especially designed to facilitate the removal of thespring and cap in air-brake cylinders or other similar devices, in orderto clean the same, and to assist in replacing the spring and capafterthe cylinder is cleaned.

The invention consists of two arms pivoted on the same base and eachprovided on its free end with a fork, and a screw-rod engaging the saidpivoted ends to move the same toward and from each other. I

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification,

in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures.

Figure 1. is a side elevation of the improvement as applied.v Fig. 2 isan end elevation 0 of the same with part in section on the line w 00 inFig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of part of the improvement in adifferent position.

The improved clamp is provided with a 3 5 suitablyconstructed base orframe A, on which are erected sets of standards B and B, each containingrows of transverse apertures O andO, respectively, adapted to be engagedby pivot-pins D or D, respectively, on which are pivoted the arms E andF, respectively, extending upwardly and each formed at its free end witha fork E or F, respectively, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 2.

The ends E or F of the fork-arms are bent inwardly, as plainlyillustrated in Fig. 1, the said ends E of the arm E being adapted torestagainst the inner side of the flange G of the brake-cylinder G, partof which extends into the fork E, but does not engage the latter, sothat the ends E rest freely on the flange G. The ends F of the fork F ofthe arm F abut in a like manner on the inner side of the annular flangeH of the cap H for the said brake-cylinder G.

On the arm E, directly below its fork E, is pivoted at I a screw-rod I,extending through a slot F in the other arm F, the said screwrod beingengaged at its outer end on the inside of the arm F with a nut J, madein the shape of'a hand-wheel for conveniently turning the nut on thescrew-rod against the outside of the arm F.

The device is applied as follows: WVhen it is desired to remove thespring and cap H from the brake-cylinder G, then the arms E and F engagethe flanges G and H of the cylinder G and H, as illustrated in Fig. 3.The arms E and F are then in their innermost position, the nut J beingscrewed up. When the device is applied in this manner, the boltsconnecting the flanges G and H with each other can be convenientlyremoved, as the arms E and F clamp the two flanges. As soon as the boltsare removed the operator turns the nut J to unscrew the same on thescrew-rod I, the spring in the cylinder G pressing on the cap I, so asto hold the arms E and F in a tight position. It will be seen that thenut J, by being screwed outward gradually, permits of convenientlyremoving the cap H and the spring from the cylinder Gwithout any dangerof the spring suddenly forcing the cap H outward after the bolts areremoved. When the cap H has been moved outward to such a distance thatthe spring is uncoiledto its full extent, then the cap and spring can beconveniently lifted off the arm F and removed entirely from thecylinder. The latter can then be cleaned in the usual manner, afterwhich the spring and cap are again inserted 0 on the fork F of the armF, the spring with the piston extending into the cylinder G. Theoperator then screws up the nut J, so that the arm F swings inwardly,carrying the cap H and pressing the spring until the flange 5 H of thecap again abuts or rests on the flange G of the cylinder G. The boltsare then again inserted to connect the two flanges with each other tohold the cap and spring in place on the cylinder G. The arms E and F canbe raised at their fulcrum ends in the standards B and B by adjustingthe pivot-pins D and D in the apertures C and O, respectively. Thus onuneven and high and low ground the arms can be raised to the desiredposition, so that the forks E and F reach up under the car to engage theflanges G and H, respectively, in the manner above described.

Havingthus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent-- 1. A clamp comprising two arms pivoted on thesame base and each provided on its free end with a fork and a screw-rodfor moving the said arms toward and from each other, substantially asshown and described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a base, ofarms pivoted on the said base and each provided with a fork at its freeen d, a screw-rod pivot-ally connected with one of the said arms andpassing loosely through the other, and a nut held on the said screw-rodand engaging the outside of the second arm, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination, with a baseprovided with standards and pivot-pins held vertically adjustable in thesaid standards, of arms pivoted on the said pivot-pins and each providedwith afork at its free end, a screw-rod pivotally connected with one ofthe said arms below the fork and passing through a slot in the otherarm, and a nut screwing on. the said screw-rod and abut tin g againstthe outside of the slotted arm, substantially as shown and described.

\VALTER HEWVITT ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS A. HIGGINS, WILLIAM E. Roeuus.

